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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28264785">A special Christmas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maeve_Lynn/pseuds/Maeve_Lynn'>Maeve_Lynn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas, F/M, friendships, mistletoes are a trope for Christmas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:42:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,067</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28264785</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maeve_Lynn/pseuds/Maeve_Lynn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Every year, Halt has a Christmas dinner with Lady Pauline and his apprentices. However, the young Rangers have different plans for this year</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pauline duLacy/Halt O'Carrick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Ranger's Apprentice Fanfic Christmas 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A special Christmas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A lonely man walked through the forest, trying to make as little noise as possible, his cloak firmly put around him. The weather was cold and there was a cold breeze from time to time; it made the temperature even lower than it already was. For a moment, the man stopped and shivered. A little, white cloud left his mouth as he spoke. He didn’t look that happy about it.</p><p>“This is unbelievable,” he mumbled.</p><p>As long as he had lived in the fief, it has never been that cold. Redmont fief was halfway the country, in the direction of the west coast. The man simply couldn’t understand how it was possible to have such a cold winter. Behind him, he heard the snow crunch as someone walked on it. For a normal peasant, the footsteps weren’t audible, but for a trained ear like his, they were.</p><p>“Are you alright Will?”</p><p>He turned around to see his apprentice walking behind him, somehow a bit uncomfortable. The boy didn’t like the cold in the slightest. Even two years after returning from the cold country in the north, he still had troubles with winter and even more with the cold.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m alright, but it’s so cold. Even I have never experienced such a cold winter.”</p><p>Hidden in the shadows of his hood, the man laughed. The boy -no, he corrected himself- the young man was almost eighteen years old and even though he was still very young, he acted as he were as old as Halt.</p><p>“When will Gil visit us?” Will asked when he had caught up with his mentor.</p><p>The two Rangers walked back to their cabin, as they had left the horses behind; they didn’t want to make them suffer in this weather. And, the older Ranger thought, walking was good for the health too. He rolled his eyes upon hearing the question and for a brief moment he looked up to the empty branches.</p><p>“Why is this boy asking so many questions?” he asked himself, however, he didn’t mind it at all.</p><p>Will and Gilan were very close friends and he was glad to see that.</p><p>“I thought today or tomorrow, yet it depends on the weather in Merric.”</p><p>Will noticed he wouldn’t get more from him, but he was okay with that. Soon, he would see his older brother and then they could finally start their plan.</p><p> </p><p>Halt knew something was going on the moment he left his apprentices alone to attend a meeting at the castle. Ever since Gilan had shown up, now two days ago, he had noticed that the conversation ended as soon as he came into hearing distance. The two young men would quit their talking and focus on something very different. A little voice inside him told that the two were planning a joke, but another voice said he shouldn’t worry. After all, how often had Gilan tried to pull his leg only to find out he hadn’t succeeded? Halt thought back to the moments at the Gatherings and smiled. No, they wouldn’t try something, he thought while he was on his way.</p><p> </p><p>“So, what’s the plan again?”</p><p>Will had heard about it before, but he still couldn’t believe what Gilan was up to.</p><p>“You know that Halt and Lady Pauline like each other, right?”</p><p>On the other side of the table, the boy nodded. Yes, even a blind person could see that there was more going on between the two mentors. Throughout the years, they had formed a strong friendship which eventually resulted in a secret love for each other. Some people were able to see subtle gestures that pointed out that the two were in love with each other.</p><p>“And you may also know that Pauline visits Halt every year to have Christmas dinner, right?”</p><p>A big smile appeared on Will’s face.</p><p>“Of course I do. Halt is a real nerve-rack then and demands that the cabin will be cleaned very well. He calls it the ‘Christmas cleaning’, while I call it the ‘my cabin has to be clean for Lady Pauline- cleaning’.</p><p>Gilan smirked upon hearing that; he too knew that very well.</p><p>“What if the two of us don’t join the dinner this year?”</p><p>The eyes of the Ranger’s apprentice started to glister; he didn’t know what exactly Gilan was planning, but this sounded promising. He was sitting on the edge of his chair, waiting to hear more.</p><p>“What are you up to?”</p><p>The Merric Ranger had expected this question and for a moment he played with his empty coffee mug, to increase Will’s curiosity.</p><p>“I was thinking to make a dinner for them and we will leave. Maybe add a small present and also this.”</p><p>After the last words, he stood up, walked to Will’s room and looked in his saddlebag. As curious as he was, the apprentice looked in the older Ranger’s direction and waited impatiently to see what Gilan would get. However, Will couldn’t see what he got as he hid it behind his back. Once back at the table, he held it in front of the boy’s eyes.</p><p>“I also want to use this.”</p><p>He noticed how the excited expression faded away as soon as Will saw what was in Gilan’s hand.</p><p>“This? What’s special about them? They’re simple twigs!”</p><p>To his surprise, Gilan smiled.</p><p>“Maybe, but do you have any idea what kind of twigs these are?”</p><p>Will shook his head, he didn’t know. Or wait, maybe…</p><p>“Those are mistletoes, aren’t they?”</p><p>He saw the other Ranger nodding and the smile on his face increasing.</p><p>“Yes Will, they are. But tell me: how much do you know about their use?"</p><p>****</p><p>“No Gilan, hands off!”</p><p>Will stood in the little kitchen, a ladle in his hand which he used to point at the other Ranger.</p><p>“Oh, come on. Just a little- ouch!”</p><p>Quickly, he pulled his hand back after Will had given him a firm tap.</p><p>“Jeez, you act like Chubb… are you sure you’re not one of his apprentices?”</p><p>Looking at Will, he saw how he focused on the stew again. Gilan knew how good of a cook Will was and had asked him to prepare a nice dinner for Lady Pauline and Halt.</p><p>“Now only some herbs and then simmer it for… half an hour.”</p><p>Delicious smells of steamed vegetables and meat spread around the house. As it was a special occasion, Will had used deer meat. Normally, Halt barely used it or as little as possible, but for now it came in handy that they had the meat.</p><p>“I prepared everything else,” Gilan said, pointing at the table.</p><p>He had laid a white table cloth on the table and also used the silver cutlery -none of the young men had ever seen it before, however, Gilan had found it as he was searching for the Christmas decorations. It was hidden somewhere in a closet- and to add some more ambiance, there were some candles as well. Nothing odd, one might say. This was a tradition that had existed since he was Halt’s apprentice. However, one small decoration was new. Gilan hadn’t hung the mistletoe yet. If he did, Halt would see it for sure. That’s why he decided to do that when he and Will would leave.</p><p>Outside, they could hear how their horses greeted a familiar horse. They looked at each other.</p><p>“It’s now or never.”</p><p> </p><p>When Halt had brought Abelard to his stable and dried him up with hay, he quickly left to enter his cabin. He was welcomed by the lovely smells and the warmth of the fireplace. The Ranger hung his cloak on the hook next to the door and set his boots in front of the fireplace to dry them.</p><p>Afterwards, he brought his bag to his bedroom and after a few minutes he returned to the living room.</p><p>“That smells wonderful Will. I hope that Gil behaved and let you cook in peace?”</p><p>He was standing behind his apprentice and looked over his shoulder at the stew. His stomach grumbled and he couldn’t wait for dinner.</p><p>“Oh no, not at all,” Will replied. “He prepared the table, so you can sit down at it.”</p><p>Somehow nervous, he looked at the tall Ranger; would Halt get the hint?</p><p>“You?” Halt asked.</p><p>He frowned. He turned around partly and noticed that there was only place for two persons at the table, not four as he had expected. Quickly, he understood what was going on.</p><p>“Where will you two be then if not here?”</p><p>As he looked at them, he saw how their cheeks changed colours.</p><p>“Invited by two ladies?”</p><p>Amused, he saw how the salmon coloured cheeks were now beet red.</p><p>“Y-yeah, we’ll go to Jenny,” Gilan said after finding his voice.</p><p>He knew very well that Halt was just teasing them, but when Gilan said the name of the friendly and joyful cook apprentice, his heart skipped a few beats.</p><p>At the same time, Will had set his focus on the salad, wishing that no one would notice how red his cheeks were.</p><p>Halt didn’t say more; he knew how they felt. First loves, he thought. Everyone has them and I will have dinner with my first love. At that thought, he also blushed slightly.</p><p> </p><p>A few minutes before Lady Pauline would arrive, Gilan and Will dressed up and prepared to leave.</p><p>“We will be back around midnight and don’t worry, we know the rules,” they told their mentor.</p><p>Gilan put his cloak around his shoulders and Will was putting his gloves on. Everything to keep the cold outside of his body.</p><p>“Alright,” Halt answered, watching them. “Take your time, enjoy it and look after each other,” he said as he waved them goodbye while standing on the porch.</p><p>If it hadn’t been a special occasion, he would have waited until they reached the tree line, now he rushed inside to make himself presentable.</p><p>Already thinking that Halt would head inside much sooner than normal, Gilan moved back to the front door and hung the mistletoe at the door frame. Smiling, he hurried back to Blaze and together with Will, he rode to the village.</p><p>Halfway, they met Lady Pauline while she headed to the cabin and they greeted her cheerfully.</p><p>“Have a nice evening!” they said simultaneously, after Pauline had frowned at the sight of them leaving the cabin.</p><p> </p><p>She continued her way in a slow pace and heard how Abelard neighed; he knew the visitors were friendly.</p><p>She dismounted and brought her horse to the stable. While she was drying it, the Ranger patiently waited for her. He set everything on the table and walked to the door after he was done. At the moment she stepped on the porched and wanted to knock, he opened the door.</p><p>“Pauline, what a pleasure to see you again.”</p><p>She smiled at him.</p><p>“It’s good to see you too Halt. It was a bit too crowded at the castle earlier on to greet you, if you ask me.”</p><p>Her attention was now focused on the smells from the living room, the warmth of the fire that welcomed her, but something else made her more curious.</p><p>Halt noticed how she looked up and followed her gaze and there he saw the mistletoes. Those little….</p><p>He started to blush madly at seeing the twigs above them. He knew very well what people said about mistletoes and what happens when two people are standing underneath it, but he didn’t know what Pauline would think of it.</p><p>“Please, come inside before you turn into a snowwoman.”</p><p>He took a step aside to let her in and, as a true gentleman, he took her cloak and hung it on the hook. He was already turning around to let her take a seat, when he felt a soft grip around his wrist.</p><p>“Wait, you forget something.”</p><p>Before Halt knew what was happening, the elegant and clever Courier had taken him in her arms. They looked at each other for a moment, both knowing what they wanted as they had got to known each other so well during their lives and the strong friendship they had.</p><p>Slowly, the distance between their lips disappeared and eventually it was Halt who kissed her.</p><p>He had no idea what the evening would look like, only that this would be a very special Christmas.</p><p> </p>
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